Minister Of Health: ODGJ Is Important To Be Priority For COVID-19 Vaccine Recipients

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said people with mental disorders (ODGJ) were important to be the priority target for COVID-19 vaccine recipients (ANTARA)

BOGOR - Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that it is important for people with mental disorders (ODGJ) to be a priority target for COVID-19 vaccine recipients in national vaccinations.

"It would be better if we give priority to ODGJ targeted for COVID-19 vaccine recipients," he said while reviewing vaccinations for ODGJ at the Marzoeki Mahdi Mental Hospital (RSJMM) Bogor City, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, June 1.

The Minister of Health explained that it is important for ODGJ to be targeted by vaccine recipients because in fact they generally have many comorbidities, so that if they are exposed to COVID-19 the impact is more risky than normal people.

"I was told by the Director of RSJMM that ODGJ has many comorbidities," he said.

Budi added that previously there was a concern that if the ODGJ was injected with the vaccine, they would scream and might run.

"But the health workers at the RSJMM made sure that ODGJ had been treated at the RSMM for a long time. They felt calmer, so there was no need to worry," he continued.

The Minister of Health also mentioned that the COVID-19 vaccination for ODGJ at the RSMM in Bogor City was the first in Indonesia. The implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination for ODGJ like this will also be carried out in other mental hospitals in Indonesia.

"The implementation of vaccination in RSJMM is a good example," he said.

Meanwhile, the President Director of the Bogor City RSJMM, Fidiansjah, said that the RSJMM is currently treating 90 ODGJs. Of these, 34 ODGJs who were declared mentally stable were vaccinated against COVID-19.

He explained that ODGJ went through several phases, there were an acute phase, a stable phase, and a rehabilitation phase.

"The vaccinated ODGJ are ODGJ who have reached the stable and rehabilitation phase," he said.

RSJMM Bogor City also plans to vaccinate around 1,000 ODGJs who have finished their rehabilitation at RSJMM and have returned to their families.